Inside The Perimeter

Hello, is this thing on?

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

$35.56

That's what it cost to fill my tank yesterday morning before the price of gas went up again! Helloooooo Marta. Sure, it will cost me $3.50 a day (if I don't buy a pass or a roll of tokens) but that's still cheaper than the price of gas and tolls for a thirty-eight mile round trip.

The Phone Has Voice Mail, Use It!Look, if you are going to call my cellphone at 11pm at night please have the courtesy to leave a message. Even if you misdialed go ahead and say "Sorry, I have the wrong number." If you don't, and I don't have your number programmed into my phone, I might feel compelled to return the call at 3am.

I like closure. I understand that it's probably some recessive gene that I possess, but those of you who don't need closure should be courteous enough to understand that there are people out there who do.

Walk Like An Egyptian To An Egytpian Baseball GameIt's about an hour's walk from my house to Turner Field. I consider it to be a safe walk, at least when done with someone else. It never fails however that as soon as I am walking alone some stranger asks me for something as if I am The Great Provider. Two blocks from my house a woman asked me for a smoke. When I said "Sorry." and started to walk away she angrily said "All I was asking for was a cigarette." to which I turned around and replied in a similarly angry tone "I don't smoke! SORRY!" and kept walking. I am getting fed up by people who ask me for something and then give me attitude when I say no (especially since I politely say "sorry").

Last night my friend Glenn (who also lives in my hood) walked to the game where we met up with the majority of the Meet The Hashers.

We met up at the Bull Pen (that restaurant/bar just to the west side of the stadium) where I had my one and only beer for the evening. Around the sixth inning I substituted the desire for another beer for ice cream because Chris brought one back to the seats and it looked so good that I had to get my own. The best line uttered all night was when Glenn looked at me eating ice cream (with cookie dough no less) and said "I think I know why 'twenty by forty' failed." True dat.

Braves lost 3-2. W00t! There was a surprisingly small crowd present at the game. That's kind of a shame because the Braves field a very entertaining team.

Vegas Keeps Rearing It's Ugly HeadI've started listening to a new podcast called Five Hundy By Midnight which claims to be the original Las Vegas podcast. On the only edition that I have heard the guy referenced a pretty cool Vegas website called Vegas Today And Tomorrow. My favorite part of the site is the "Dreams" section that talks about concepts which were bandied about but never came to fruition.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - fortunate not to be one of the victims of KatrinaCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Badly Drawn Boy -- "Once Around The Block"Website Of The Day - Sometimes older is better, at least that what I plan to tell the twentysomething women out there. Okay, I'm referring to software instead. If you absolutely have to have some older version of some piece of software, try OldVersions to see if they have it.

Apparently they were designed by former Apple Industrial Engineers, the ones who designed this

Local Nerd Buys Compact Refrigerator Vows Never To Leave OfficeAfter Sunday's poolside Drink-O-Rama I headed to Lowe's (you know, the one in the shopping center that I swore I wouldn't support) for more Katrina fortifications. I had just enough liquid energy in me to finally buy a compact refrigerator for the office.

Let's see, that makes refrigerator, coffee pot, rice/veggie steamer, blender; all I am missing is a microwave and a pillow and I'd have a $1500 a month apartment in Manhattan right in my office!

Local Nerd Then Vows To Use Camera Phone For Good, Not EvilI am tired of going to a grocery store and getting screwed at the register (is this like getting fucked at the drivethrough?). This morning I stopped by a Publix on my way into work to pick up rations for the new refrigerator. While there I noticed that something was "Buy One, Get One Free". Shame on me for not checking the receipt at the register (which is such a pain in the ass when you have to fight to prove your correctness). In the future I think that I'll snap a shot of the shelf tag as proof that I am getting screwed by The Man.

CD Day!!Need some new tunes for your Labor Day car trip?

Well, the major label release from Death Cab For Cutie called "Plans" drops today. Buy it, and then tell your friends that you've been a fan of DCFB for years and that you can't believe that they sold out. Say it with enough bravado and they will certainly believe you.

psst- Goodbye Ultimate Band List, um Artist Direct (note the lack of linkage). I am fucking tired of your popup window advertising and flash movies that I cannot close. You shall never be linked from this website again!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - I want to be Free! (see below)Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Primal Scream -- "Loaded"Website Of The Day - Need a free lightweight project manager, try Voo2Do.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Looks Like I've Made It!

Yesterday I received my first two pieces of comment spam. I am such a proud parent.

Katrina Never Was A Lovely LassSometimes I find it hard to believe that the weather in Atlanta can be so nice, whereas right now in New Orleans they are suffering through Hurricane Katrina.

What's up with the Weather Morons? Why must they always feel compelled to broadcast from the center of the storm? Could they not just show stock video of signs shaking, downed trees and collapsed houses from previous storms? Really, would those of us in the general population be able to tell the difference?

Yard Work Is Hard WorkThis weekend I was bound and determined to catch up on some long-neglected yard work and to fortify the abode for the rath of Katrina (hey, on Friday it was supposed to make its way to Atlanta and dump copious amounts of rain upon us.

Friday night was spent mowing the lawn(s) and cleaning up the grounds for some new gutter piping.

Saturday morning was an early morning start by climbing up on my roof (with a ladder of course, it's not like I am Spiderman) so that I could trim tree limbs from near my roof and clean out my gutters. Let it be known that I am afraid of heights, so for me to get two stories above the ground and inch my way to the edge of my roof is no minor chore.

Sunday I said "Fuck you yard work, it looks like Katrina is going further west."

My Body Is A Temple, One Made For A Buddhist TempleI have been eating some of the strangest foods. What, do I think that I am a bachelor or something? I've eaten crackers (with cream cheese, and later with orange marmalade) like I am a damn parrot. Paulie Wanna Cracker?

Friday night (post-yardwork) I met my friend Glenn at Little Azio on Moreland Avenue. I was pleased to see that the business there was busy (at least on a Friday). The food was good, nothing to scream about, but I shall return.

Saturday night (post hash-from-hell) I headed out to Limerick Junction to celebrate Maigh's party. Pictures of that event can be seen on her site (including a picture of yours truly being surly about seeing somebody other than me being billed as Inside The Perimeter). There I dined on some Smithwick's fine beer, popcorn and a corned beef sandwich, yum!

Sunday was Craving Day as I had to start the day with a diner breakfast. I've professed my love for Waffle House in the past, but sometimes my closest one is still too far away. So what's a boy to do? Eat at the Majestic! I should have been out running with my friends, instead I dined on two eggs, hash browns, corned beef hash and toast, and afterwards joined them poolside with adult beverages. Good morning, I say.

Music For The Small MassesAs I mentioned last Friday I was off to see A Fir-Ju Well at The EARL. Perhaps I should have stated that I would be seeing them on Saturday because they took the stage at 12:10am! That wouldn't have been too bad except that they only performed for an hour. If I am going to try and be Rockin' Like Dokken starting that late I want it all, at least give me ninety minutes! They seemed to lack that balls-to-the-wall energy that they had the last time I saw them (perhaps because they started so late?).

By the way, the band which preceded them, De Novo Dahl, was quite entertaining; they were part Radiohead, part Ted Leo & The Pharmacists.

Knowing that I was going to be out late I chose to skip seeing Charm School. I know that they are local and I hope that I can see them sometime in the near future.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - lost, and somewhat lonelyCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Sleater-Kinney -- "Entertain"Website Of The Day - Give your blog some new bling with a new template from Blogger Templates Blog.

Weekend's Exercise (b)Log - a shitload of yard work, hashing for way too long, and one hour on the bike trainer last night.

Friday, August 26, 2005

It Is Friday! Now That's Better...

Here's One You Might Not Have HeardA man walks into a used CD store (let's say Ella Guru for example) and walks out empty handed. Yes kiddies, you read that right! For some reason Ella Guru's selection of "Just In" stuff was much smaller than in the past and I didn't see anything that I was interested in purchasing. I did see REM's Green (which was a cd lost last year), but someone I know must own this and be willing to let me archive it (hey, I did purchase it once). I also saw the new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club release called Howl, but after listening to it in the store I realized that I didn't like it.

btw- Why didn't someone call me out for not mentioning that The New Pornographer's latest CD Twin Cinema dropped last Tuesday and I failed to mention it? I'll respect you more if you bust my chops occassionally. I might not call you in the morning, but I'll respect you nonetheless.

Third Time Not As Charming As It Should Have BeenThe Thursday night edition of Meet The Hashers met at Raging Burrito in Decatur last night. (props to Raging Burrito for having the free WiFi).

Let's just say we should have taken first place, but because we didn't have the cajones to "Go Big Or Go Home" on the final question we finished in third place.

I blame the clusterfuck that was Raging Burrito last night for our miscalculation. It's far too long of a story to detail here, but it has to do with poor service, confusing beer pricing (or more accurately signage for beer pricing), etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Tonight you have the opportunity to see just how smart I am. A Fir-Ju Well is the headlining act at The EARL in East Atlanta tonight. Doors open at 9:30pm, so that means that this old man will be heading home for a PowerNap prior to going out tonight.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - recoveringCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Death Cab For Cutie -- "Soul Meets Body"Website Of The Day - For the artists in the house -- The Warhol Museum. For the nerds in the house -- John C. Dvorak's Blog.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Surely It's Friday By Now...

No, and stop calling me Shirley.

Early To Bed, Early To RiseRemember that old quote

Early to bed, early to riseMakes a man healty, wealthy, and wise

I am here to tell you that it's complete bullshit.

I was a Good Boy last night, leaving George's Bar after one beer and eating only popcorn (which was later supplemented with cream cheese and crackers, yum!). Home early and sober I should certainly be the most productive I have been recently; hell, I even had time to read. That ended abruptly when the eyes shut and I fell asleep. Fuckity Fuck Fuck Fuck!

Baby StepsFirst there was the complete reading of a magazine. (Wired)Now I am currently reading a book comprised of magazine articles. (The Polysyllabic Spree)Next? I'm thinking a book filled with short stories.And before I know it I will have read an entire book.

Yeah, I know that anyone reading this through an ATOM (still no RSS, arrgh!) feed can't see it, but I can't change the world you know.

Running Is For The BirdsNot only did my body feel as if it was about to explode last night, my left running shoe made this annoying sound while I ran (ok, walked). The sound was similar to a regular exhale, or perhaps similar to what you'd hear when you have a flat tire on a bicycle. Pfhht. Pfhht. Pfhht.

Guess who needs new running shoes? Maybe I'll buy those sneakers with the wheels on the bottom.

We Are The BoysWTF? My alma mater, the University of Florida, has dropped from the top ten of Princeton Review's "Top Ten Party Schools?" C'mon kids, what are you doing down there, studying? You've got a reputation to uphold, you know...

Third Time Is A CharmLooks like I'll be playing Team Trivia again tonight. This will be the third time this week I've played trivia. Yeah, I know I need to get a life, branch out, do new things. But this week features lyrics from Who songs, and I know me some Who songs!! Tonight's gathering will be at Raging Burrito in Decatur.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - ambivalentCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing The Thrills -- "Big Sur"Website Of The Day - Some websites I can't describe. We Make Money Not Art would be one of them.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Arrr! Not Just For Pirates Anymore

This morning the alarm went off at 5am, just like any other normal workday for me. This morning my brain decided it needed to sleep for another two hours, so it convinced my hand to turn the alarm off, and then convinced my eyes to return to their closed and locked position. Fuck.

A(nother) Open Letter To MartaDear Marta:

Your service has been, well serviceable. The trains do arrive at the stations at which I am stationed, eventually. But that is not the point of this open letter.

I have been an infrequent customer for the last two months. Often times I use the Edgewood / Candler Park station. For those two months I have noticed the same four beer bottles positioned under a tree. Is this part of an art installment that has yet to be announced? Could someone be so obsessive-compulsive to arrange the same four types of beer bottles in the exact same positions under the same tree nightly? Surely you employee people to periodically clean debris (um, trash) from the parking lots of your stations, right?

I am also sure that you would be pleased if I assumed a self-appointed Volunteer Trash Captain position and cleaned the parking lots for you. Unfortunately, when I am noticing these bottles I am on my way to my current full-time employment.

Meet The New Night, Same As The Old NightWhat would I do when I realize that I have nothing to do? Play Team Trivia of course! I wandered (in vehicle) to Rocky Mountain Pizza where I helped a team finish well out of the money.

Gayle Devers? Who the hell remembers Gayle Devers?

How am I supposed to remember that Snuffalupagos was introduced in 1971 (I guessed 1972). I don't even like muppets. I AM OLD GODDAMMIT, CUT ME SOME SLACK!

I did manage to come up with "Squeeze Box" as the song from which the lyrics "She goes in and out and in and out and in and out" were taken. For the record I would have known that even if I wasn't privy to knowning that all song lyrics this week would come from songs by The Who -- that tidbit was in Team Trivia's electronic newsletter for trivia nerds.

From The Bizarro FileYesterday I heard the most awesome cover of a song, ever. While listening to the iPodArmy podcast (you should be too) the guy played Nina Gordon (of Veruca Salt fame) covering N.W.A.'s "Straight Outta Compton". Fucking Awesome!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - angryCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Ween -- "It's Going To Be A Long Night"Website Of The Day - Ween has their own Internet Radio station, cleverly named Ween Radio.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

It's Only Tuesday? You're Kidding, Right?

Well it seems someone around here has stolen the virtual calendar pages from my PDA. I would have bet money that this week was the final week in August and that I'd be attending a Braves game tonight and getting a haircut tomorrow. Look at me with all the newly-found free time! Maybe I'll read. Maybe I'll mow the lawn. Maybe I'll even exercise. So many options...

Lone WolfSometimes I get a stick up my ass and need to be alone (far from a revelation for those who know me well).

Yesterday "Paulie Time" was spent during lunch at Lucky China (don't even think of pronouncing it Rucky China!). What was funny about my trip to Lucky China was that I wasn't even supposed to be there. My intent was to eat lunch at some Mexican joint on whatever the name of the road is that parallels I285 on its interior. That was until I was forced to stay in the Left Turn Only lane of the exit ramp. Frustrated at my inability to get over I resigned myself to eating something in Georgetown Shopping Center.

It was far from the best Chinese food I have ever eaten (keep in mind that for the past six years I worked off of Buford Highway), but it was decent and I wouldn't mind eating it again. More importantly, they deliver (for free!), something I didn't have to think about when it wasn't a complete pain in the ass to drive everywhere.

addendum: I forgot to mention that my fortune cookie contained two fortunes. They have been included in the side galley today.

It's Log. It's Log. It's Better Than Bad, It's Good!Those Ren And Stimpy lyrics were thrust from my mouth when I saw what could possibly be the most ridiculous iPod accessory ever.

Now That I Know The Correct Date, What CDs Are Being Released?There is a slew of cds being released today, my count is twenty-five. Of those twenty-five, very few look like anything that would interest me.

My vote for CD Pick of the Day goes to local product Josh Joplin and his release of "Jaywalker". Actually, I can't remember if Josh still lives in Atlanta, but I've seen him in concert a few times and he seems like a hell of a guy, so go buy his album.

btw- Has anyone out there ever successfully linked to a product in Amazon and gotten paid? I've set up an Associates' Account, but don't quite understand the process. Yes, I would set up product links to Amazon here. Yes, I would be making something from my suggestions. Yes, if this becomes a wildly popular source of income I will buy you a beer.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - challenged by the calendarCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing The Polyphonic Spree -- "Wig In A Box"Website Of The Day - I am fascinated by Feedster and wish I had an infinite amount of free time to play with it.

Monday, August 22, 2005

So This Is How The (Metro) ATL Spends Their Weekends?

After being a continental jetsetter the last few weekends I decided to crash in my home town, well more specifically, the towns which surround my hometown, this weekend. Let it also be known that I spent each night at home this weekend (read "I was a loser"). And, let the record show that I also read an entire magazine (Wired) front-to-back; laugh at me if you wish but this is rather a major accomplishment for me (read "I am a complete loser").

If It's Saturday This Must Be GwinnettaI am not a fan of Gwinnett County (calm down Cobb County, you run a very close second). As I thought of a title for this section I realized that I only know Gwinnett County as "Gwinnett County." I have no clue of a name of a town/city within the county, henceforth I will always be in my ficticious town of 'Gwinnetta' when I enter the county in which "Success Lives."

Why was I in Gwinnetta? For my annual pilgrimage to the Folkfest (follow the link for nudity), this year's being aptly titled "Folkfest 2005" (although in Folk Art Circles I believe it's pronounced "Folkfest Naught-Five").

Andy, Stacey, Laurie (who I see but once a year for this trip so if it's spelled L-o-r-i please forgive me) and I made the trip to the land of tempra paint on wood with misspelled words (that's what makes it folk art). Sadly I saw nothing that "spoke to me" so I left the event empty handed. Andy and Stacey scored by purchasing a piece from some artist who they believe to have one foot in the grave.

The day was capped off nicely with a fantastic lunch at Agnes & Muriel's. Have you ever wondered how mac 'n cheese could be any better? Deep fry it of course!

If It's Sunday This Must Be NewnanWith one successful trip OTP under my belt I threw caution to the wind and attempted another yesterday. This time the Jackmobile was turned southwest and headed to Newnan to run the Black Sheep Hash.

Did someone ask if it was hot? It was ungodly, motherfucking, can't-stop-the-sweat hot yesterday. Luckily the trail got screwed up and I wound up running (or walking if you will) only half of the intended length. Was I sad about this? Hell Fucking No!

Have I mentioned that today's blog is not G rated?

With the ending having a swimming hole, a keg of beer, and pork to eat I dare say that I was as happy as a pig in slop. Oh wait, that would make me a cannibal, wouldn't it?

Are You Ready For Some Headknocking?Football season (as far as ABC/ESPN are concerned) is once again upon us. This means that Meet The Hashers must skullcrush an hour earlier starting tonight. It seems as if Taco Mac in the Highlands would rather cater to the Jocks instead of we Trivia Nerds. Go figure. I'd stay for the football game too just to spite them, but I've got a new magazine that I need to start reading...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - not too bad, actuallyCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Dressy Bessy -- "Side 2"Website Of The Day - It's social. It's musical. These are two characteristics often used when referring to me. Therefore Last FM must be cool. It was suggested to me on Friday and I played with it over the weekend and much like me, it is cool.

Yesterday's Exercise (b)Log - hashing for about an hourMonday Morning Weigh In - I forgot to step on the scale today. Honestly, I forgot! 'Scuse me whilst I shovel some peanut butter into my mouth.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Friday Morning -- Late Edition

Wow, something must be in the air this morning as I am having a hard time getting going...

I Like To Think Of It As RecyclingI dropped by one of my Crack Dealer depots yesterday, Decatur CD. I just can't help myself. However, my lack of discipline paid off since I was able to get used cds for the latest releases from A Band Of Bees, Nic Armstrong & The Thieves, and Foo Fighters, as well as the latest Clap Your Hands Say Yeah new on the cheap. SCORE!

Interestingly, Decatur CD had both the North American and British releases of the A Band Of Bees cd; the British version was labelled with the band's original name "The Bees."

I'll take Obscure Music Trivia for $500 please, Alex.

Folk Art Said Quickly Sounds Like FartNormally I don't give much love to those who play OTP. However, I'll admit that this weekend I'll be leaving my boundaries to attend Folkfest 2005 out in Gwinnett County. What can I say, I like the art.

Getting There Might Be "Fun"My friend Sarah has passed along the following Head's Up from the AJC:

The state Department of Transportation has some advice for metro Atlanta motorists this weekend: Stay away from the Perimeter Highway, if possible.

The DOT says construction on Interstate 285 on all four sides of Atlanta will result in long traffic delays. There will be multiple lane closures around I-285 from Friday night to early Monday.

Further complicating weekend driving in the metro area: additional work on I-85, I-20 and Georgia 400. According to the Georgia Navigator Web site, additional work is planned starting Friday night on the Downtown Connector.

Not only that, but tractor-trailers normally prohibited from using the Downtown Connector will be encouraged to use that route because of the work on 285.

DOT spokeswoman Vicki Gavalas says the agency is pleading with people to stay off the Perimeter.

You have been warned! (yeah, I know that I also posted this on the Moonlighting Site, but they needed to know about it too.)

Marta Sure Ain't No MTAThis morning was a Marta commute. That's what I get for waking up later than normal on a Friday. I am trying to give Marta love, but it's very hard. When this morning's westbound train finally arrived at the station people were packed in like sardines. Has Marta become increasingly popular since gas prices have once again skyrocketed? No, I think it's because I waited no fewer than ten minutes for this train to arrive.

The Five Points station was equally populated. The first train to arrive was as full as the one I had taken westward. Luckly it was a Doraville train and I quickly spotted a North Springs train on its heals. My "patience" was rewarded with a seat all the way up to Dunwoody.

I'm sure I've got more to blog about, but not the time to do so.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Yesterday's Exercise (b)Log - nothingCurrent Mood - fair to midlandCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Badly Drawn Boy -- "You Were Right"Website Of The Day - Uncle Paulie Wants You to join the iPod Army.

Thursday, August 18, 2005

30% Chance Of Rain, 100% Chance Of "I Am Tired Of This Bullshit"

Rain Rain Go Away Come Back In A Month Or TwoOr at least stop raining so hard and every day!

I know, everyone has said it, but I can't believe how much localized hard rain we have had this summer. I got caught in it (again) while running through the Highlands last night. Within minutes the streets were streams. The ground can't hold it any longer, so it keeps searching for the paths of least resistance.

A few years ago we had drought, now we have excessive rain. I understand averages, and in The Grand Scheme of Things we are getting an average amount of rain, but I just know these extremes can't be good.

Yikes, STOP already!!!

Hi, My Name Is Paulie And I Have A ProblemWow, limiting myself to one beer last night was really hard! It was even harder when I got home and had to deal with homeownership issues. Sometimes being a grownup really sucks. I'm just sayin'.

I have already found a major flaw in the book. All exit numbers on Atlanta interstates are wrong. Yep, the 2005-2006 edition has exit numbers which reflect the exit numbers as they existed before they were changed in 2000. The publishers have been notified...

Random WidgetsRemember, you pay nothing to read this...

I want to go somewhere and order a "Gelatte." It will be a coffee drink made from gelato.

I want to have sex again before I die. No, I will not "hire" someone for this purpose.

My goal is to keep my waistline smaller than my age. It really shouldn't be that hard to do from here on out.

Golf spelled backwards is Flog. Why is it that I still own clubs?

In New York I saw The Onion in newspaper boxes. How fucking cool is that?

Yesterday's Exercise (b)LogThis section will really be for my benefit as it will guilt me into exercising more (daily?). Skip it if you're not interested, make fun of my out-of-shapeness if you choose, frankly I don't give a rat's ass -- this is all about me.running: 33 minutes, ~3.5 mileswalking: 10 minutes

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - pensiveCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing The Flaming Lips -- "Do You Realize??"Website Of The Day - You know you can't get enough 411 about tv, go read the TV Squad blog.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Do Not Feed The Animals!!!

I mean it! Damn, I sometimes feel I need to break my jaw so that I won't be able to eat. I guess I'd still be drinking too much beer so that's not the answer afterall.

Singing, Friends And Photos, What More Could I Ask For (how about good beer?)Last night's Main Event was my friend Dejie's CD release party at the Red Chair. I spent an enjoyable evening hanging with (in order of appearance) Maigh (check her site for photos as I left my camera in the car and was too lazy to go and get it), her lovely friend Kim, some guy named Jonathon who apparently has seen every play on Broadway, and two of my favorite people in the world -- Stacey and Andy, with an occasional appearance by Dejie's friend Jennifer.

I had never visited Red Chair before. I was surprised by their (lack of) beer selection (far too limited for this beer snob) and menu (which was surprisingly good and fairly cheap). I'd go back for dinner, but given the establishment's regular clientele it probably would have to be with a group. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

My night was capped off with a fantastic performance by Dejie and some of her musician friends. Dejie's music is about 180 degrees from the shows I list in my side galley. However, if you like the show tunes and standards, sung by a woman with much talent, I highly suggest you check out Dejie's music.

So Many Shows, So Little TimeThere are a few shows coming to Atlanta that I am on the fence about. One big reason is that some are at Ticketmaster venues and I really hate doing business with them. Can anyone give me advice on these?

19-Sep: Of Montreal (TBA)

26-Sep: Bloc Party (Tabernacle)

29-Sep: Decemberists (Tabernacle)

17-Oct: The New Pornographers (Variety Playhouse) -- probably will go, if tickets ever go on sale

While I am at it, can anyone suggest an alternative website to Pollstar for finding out what concerts are coming to town? I am sick and tired of Pollstar's allowance of popup advertisements. (I am using Firefox on Linux, but some dickhead developers found a way around their popup blocker).

One Is The Loneliest NumberI need one of these wristbands

Sadly the reason I need one is to remind myself that I should be eating for one. Who knows, maybe it will also help me stop drinking more than one beer as well. With this sort of crazy logic I might actually start losing weight...

Oooh, He's A Little RunawayI'll be making my much heralded return to exercising tonight (weather permitting, of course). Care to cheer me on? Want to make sure I don't order the bacon bleu burger with fries, or drink more than one beer? Then show up George's bar in the Highlands tonight for the Wednesday night running. It is Wednesday today, right?

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - Pear shaped. 'Dunlop' diseased. Headed toward becoming the next Dewberry.Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Scissor Sisters -- "Take Your Mama"Website Of The Day - Poverty is real, find out more about the ONE campaign. I really wanted to post a website that matched wristband color to charity/cause/organization, but couldn't find one.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Today, A Free Lunch

Not that I need it, mind you. Today I am headed to a far away land known as Cobb county for a job fair.

Today will be a simple blog focused on one word "courtesy", oh and since it's Tuesday I'll also have my CD release pick.

Courtesynoun1. a. Polite behavior. b. A polite gesture or remark.2. a. Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence: They call this pond a lake by courtesy only. b. Willingness or generosity in providing something needed: free advertising through the courtesy of the local newspaper.

adj.1. Given or done as a polite gesture: paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors.2. Free of charge: courtesy tickets for the reporters.

It seems to me that being courteous is a simple act, ignored by many in today's society.

Here are some things to think about

Let others exit a train or elevator prior to trying to board

Wait until you have the walk signal, especially when a turn signal is present

When walking two or more abreast move over to allow oncoming walkers (or runners) their "fair share" of a sidewalk

Say "Please" and "Thank you"

I'll step down from my soapbox now.

Music For The MassesSchool is back in session, time to buy some new music for that phat iPod 60Gig that you got this summer. Oh who am I kidding, kids today steal all of their music. But I digress...

My friend Andy's favorite band 311 releases another mammoth cd today. Since I saw these white boys rap in Huntsville, Alabama back in 1993/1994 I've gotten over them.

Stryper is back, actually according to the title of their new cd they have been Reborn. Interesting, it looks like they will be once again touring the country tossing bibles to their fans. I wonder if they still have those bumblebee Spandex pants? Nope, I just can't bring myself to pick their cd either.

What if I jump into the WayBack Machine and go even further back in time, back to a time when I was young, and life was great, the 1980's? The BoDeans release of "Homebrewed: Live From The Pabst". I am generally not a big fan of live albums (although Husker Du's "The Living End" will rock my world until I pass), but these guys have been around for twenty years, so I should give the old guys some props.

However, one of my friends Dejie Johnson is releasing her first solo cd today called "Why Try to Change Me Now?". How could I not be courteous and pick her cd as my Pick Of The Day? Good luck, Dejie.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - once again searching (for multiple items), anyone want to venture a guess? (answers tonight/tomorrow)Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Pixies -- "Gigantic"Website Of The Day - If you just can't get enough nerdy news, then go to Waxy.org's links.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Gotham City In A Rear View Mirror

I go away for four days and you people let gas prices go nuts? Up 20 cents per gallon? WTF?

As you might imagine from my last two blog entries, I had a fantastic time in New York. Four days may be the perfect amount of time to spend there. I was tired of being a tourist, but still envious of the amount of things to do.

Eating at a "famous chef" restaurant (I was even around the corner from Bourdain's Les Halles!)

Never made it to Whitestone, my real hometown. I was hoping to take a picture of the house in which I grew up.

Riding the Staten Island Ferry

See a Yankee's game (Mets were not in NY) -- I passed because it was 100 degrees on Saturday

Spending real time in Central Park (again it was hot!)

Would I do it again? In a fucking New York second!

Under The Tall BuildingsI spent a lot of time looking for things in Manhattan. I never could seem to remember where anything was. Most of that time was either walking or riding the subway (loved the MetroCard, kinda sad that they no longer use tokens). Over on my Flickr account (InsideThePerimeter) I've uploaded some pictures, including the things that intrigued me the most -- subway mosaics. Here is a picture of my favorite mosiac

Imagine the cost of trying to install mosaics throughout the entire subway line if you were to build it today.

I'll Have What She's HavingOne of my last "touristy" things in New York was a ($12.50) pastrami sandwich at Katz' Deli (opened in 1888!). Many people have seen Katz' Deli and never known it; it was the deli in which Harry and Sally had lunch and Sally fakes the orgasm in the movie When Harry Met Sally. There is a sign above the table which was used in the movie, somehow I found myself sitting at that very table. TOURIST!!!

While I cannot say that the pastrami sandwich was orgasmic, it was incredibly good, especially when washed down with a Dr. Brown's cream soda.

Pub Crawl -- NYC StyleOn Saturday night I went for a solo, early-evening pub crawl. The original intent was to drink my way uptown and meet my friend Kevin when he made it to Doc Watson's (where I coincidentally had the Rheingold on Thursday). Having a 7:30am flight Sunday morning limited my crawl, but not my enthusiasm.

There were some others such as The Slaughtered Lamb, McSorley's and The Black Sheep that I wanted to hit, but was never able to find or get to.

I'll give myself an 'A' for effort, but a 'C' for execution.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - returning to normal (well, as normal as I get)Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 26 playing Kaiser Chiefs -- "Oh My God"Website Of The Day - Back in the office, Working For The Man.Monday Morning Weigh-In - C'mon, I just got back from a four-day eating/drinking binge!

Friday, August 12, 2005

New York, New York, It's A Hell Of A Town

The Bronx is up and the Battery's down. I should have remembered that when I mistakenly got on the F train and realized that I was headed for Coney Island instead of uptown.

Meet Me At The MetIf you like art, as I do, and you are in New York, as I am, I highly suggest that you visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

(btw- that's just one of the wings inside the building)

Too large to really see everything in one day, I roamed the museum for about two and a half hours yesterday.

There is a phenomena that did not exist the last time I visited the Met, taking photographs of the art. Once considered taboo, the museum now allows it probably because so many people are doing it that they couldn't police it. I chuckled often at the thought of all of these pictures being stored in digital shoeboxes throughout the world.

The Camera's Eye, The Photographer's ShakeI have a great eye for photograhpy (in my opinion). What I don't seem to have is a great set of arms and hands for photography. Many of my pictures, including the one of a painting that I took inside the museum, are coming out blurry. Rats.

Eat, Drink, And Be MerryYesterday's New York diet consisted of a diner breakfast (eggs, corned beef hash, potatoes, and coffee), a lunch stop at the restaurant at which my friend Sother was working, and a late-night (by my standards) slice of pizza.

Did I mention that I also had six beers? The final of which was one of New York's oldest, Rheingold. Anyone want to wager on who will be starting a diet Monday?

Always Be ClosingThe impetus for this trip was finding out that "GlennGary Glen Ross" was being revived as a play (starring tv's Alan Alda). Not that I really needed reason to justify a trip to New York, coming up just to see a play seemed like the type of trip I would normally like to do, but wouldn't. It also didn't hurt that I was able to get a ticket in the center of the second row.

While I enjoyed the play immensely, it didn't have the impact on me the way the movie always has.

Strange Days Are HereAfter finishing up drinking with Sother I caught the 6 train headed to lower Manhattan. As I was walking down Lexington Strange Thing #1 happened -- I ran into one of the three people who I know in Manhattan. That's right, in a city of millions I coincidentally ran into one of the three people I know who live here. Go fucking figure!

Strange thing #2 occurred later in the evening. As I walked back to the hotel from the theater I noticed an arrow, then another. At the next corner I looked down to find what I had supposed -- a hashing checkpoint. Yep, in the middle of lower Manhattan I accidently stumbled over Wednesday night's New York City Hash trail.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - wishing I was a better photographerCurrent Music - noneWebsite Of The Day - Apparently garden gnomes are being oppressed. Free The Gnomes is out to change that.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

I'll Take Manhattan

Today I plan to be a complete tourist.

How's This For Accomodation?The hotel room I am in is tiny. It's "This is not Awesome" tiny. People who like fancy schmancy accomodations need not stay here, at least not in the one I am in. BTW - I love it! It is exactly what I need in a hotel room.

This is essentially the entire room.

The Teddy Bear is provided by the hotel. The brick wall in the picture is real and is one of my "views".

Introducing, The ShoiletWhat do you call the closet that functions both as a shower and a toilet? The Shoilet, of course!

Hungover To DryI've already relearned

NYC is hot, real hot in August

is it possible to get a sunburn walking in Manhattan

hangovers hurt

I got to meet up with my friend Sother yesterday. Sother, a relatively recent transplant to NY, carries his Not For Tourists bible along with him so he knows hot to get to all of the cool places in the city.

Sother and I took off on foot and headed to Union Square. Dinner was at Blue Water Grill and fantastic. After seafood and beer, we stomped down to SoHo for beverages at Milano's and then to NoHo for a few more at Tom & Jerry's.

Completely hammered we hopped the train (I am now a MetroCard holder -- subway here I come) and then I toddled back to the hotel.

This is very awesome!

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - cab ride, $30. shoilet room, $120/night. being on my own agenda in Manhattan, pricelessCurrent Music - noneWebsite Of The Day - Learn even more about the Not For Tourists Guides. I'll be looking to pick up the Atlanta version soon.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

I'm Flying To New York And Boy Are My Arms Getting Tired

I'm Flying To New York And Boy Are My Arms Getting TiredThat's my explanation for the tardiness of today's entry. COOL!! This is being posted using an open wireless connection from the hotel (more on that tomorrow).

Flying A Different Friendly SkiesIt's not that I am Atlanta-brand loyal, but I usually fly Delta. However, this trip finds me flying American Airlines. It was early when I left the house, so I continually had to repeat to myself "I am flying American. I am flying American" so that I didn't go into auto-pilot and wind up trying to fly Delta.

T Gate? Really? Shit!I wonder if any airports have been built since 9/11. In typical fashion I went through the security check-in at the airport and forgot to look up my gate location. It is really hard figuring out your concourse and gate once you are on the "other side" of security.

After making the (incorrect) assumption that I'd never be departing from the 'T' gate, I headed out to the 'A' gate in hopes that I would be correct, or at least find a master panel of departing flights. Somewhere between gates 'A' and 'B' I located the toll-free phone number for American Airlines and found out that I was indeed headed in the wrong direction.

A quick u-turn got me headed in the right direction.

'Scuse Me, You Look FamiliarI grew up in a small town in New York called Whitestone. Most people who have heard of Whitestone it's because they have heard of the Whitestone Expressway or the Whitestone Bridge.

My family moved away from Whitestone twenty-eight years ago. To this day I can probably name the names of the seven families who lived between our house and the end of our street. I mention this because today I cannot name the two families who live next door to me in Atlanta. Strange.

Also strange was a man who looked a lot like my best friend Louie from Whitestone. I suppose the man looked as I would imagine Louie would look at forty. The miniscule probability of it actually being Louie convinced me not to go ask him his name.

So Far, So GoodSo far this flight has been spectacular! Due to the small number of people who fly early on a Wednesday morning I was able to escape to an empty row once the seatbelt was turned off. This was necessary since a young couple sat in the row in front of my assigned seat, and insisted on reclining their seats back immediately upon take off. I swear that if I could fuse all airline seats in the "upright and locked" position I would do so.

Music: New York StyleIf all goes to plan I will be seeing some live music tonight. There is a free concert at the South Street Seaside. I'm hoping to get a leg up on the Atlanta fans of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah by seeing them tonight. I just hope it's not as crowded as the Weezer concert a month ago.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - wondering how much a cab ride from LaGuardia to Manhattan will costCurrent Music - noneWebsite Of The Day - Find out who is linking to your site using Talk Digger.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

You Could Even Say It Glows

The subject line is an homage to my friend Glenn, who was so intrigued by a girl's t-shirt last night he went up to compliment her. In doing so he also found out that the shirt glowed in the dark. Hmmm, glow in the dark eh?... Glenn's night was further improved by the gift of a free pair of underwear given to him by the people at the table next to us. Apparently these people own their own underwear business. It was a strange night indeed.

But enough about Glenn, this is my blog.

So This Is How The 'Other Half' Lives?It was a skeleton crew for Meet the Hashers last night at Taco Mac. The team consisted of Glenn, Bill, and myself. The lack of female presence apparently rocked our trivia boat as we missed many questions and finished far out of the money. I think that there is a word to describe teams that do this, oh yeah, "losers." I don't like being one of these.

More DimwittednessToday I was also one of "those people" on the road. Somehow I managed to turn my headlights to the "parking/fog light" position during my early-morning commute. I realized my error one block from the office.

To those of you I have cursed in the past for being such idiots as to not even know when your headlights are not on, I am sorry. To the people who may not have seen the Jackmobile slithering along the Connector or 400 around 6:30am, I am even sorrier.

Seminoles Are Offensive!This has little to do with the NCAA's ruling that schools should not be using indians as symbols.

INDIANAPOLIS --- The presidents and chancellors who serve on the NCAA Executive Committee have adopted a new policy to prohibit NCAA colleges and universities from displaying hostile and abusive racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, nicknames or imagery at any of the 88 NCAA championships.(full story)

Kinda ironic that this press release is from Indianapolis, no?

I mention this because I am a Florida Gator and football season is nearing so I thought I should poke a little fun at one of my in-state rivals while I still can.

I mention this mostly because I can never remember the name of the guy who did the song "Walking In Memphis". Now I shall never forget.

The Music Industry Is Driving Me Fucking NuttyHere is a list of the artists releasing music today.

Staind

Pennywise

Nickel Creek

Hootie & The Blowfish

Ol' Dirty Bastard

Stephen Stills

Juliana Hatfield

Tommy Lee

Rooster

Ok, write Hootie off immediately. Staind? Nah, never been a fan. Nickel [corrected] Creek? Rooster? Never heard of either of them. Tommy Lee? He's still alive? Who is he screwing these days? Steven Stills? He's still alive? Oooh, the thought of him having sex turns my stomach. ODB? Pennywise? Maybe, but I don't know either of them well enough to pick their stuff without a listen. Juliana Hatfield? I guess she wins through the process of elimination.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - freezing in this officeCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Pavement -- "Cut Your Hair"Website Of The Day - Jiwire -- another WiFi finder.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Propane And Lawn Mower Gas

A look at the calendar tells me that today is the day last year that I went out for a quick errand to pick up propane for the bbq and gas for the lawn mower. Today is my one-year "anniversary" of getting carjacked upon my return home from running this errand. For those new to my world, the whole story can be read as Part Two of my three-part 2004 wrap up called The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Today is the day that the Red Rocket lost her virginity and became the Jackmobile.

I wish I could say that I had a really cool update (I don't), or that this experience taught me something that made me a better person (I didn't). Truth be told it probably made me more of an asshole than I ever was before.

But enough of the bad shit. Today is a day to celebrate!

Rain ManLet me guess, it's probably going to rain today. At some point this has to stop. Everywhere I go it seems to rain. It even rained in Las Vegas, which is in a desert! I am starting to feel like one of the Gruesomes.

C'mon say it with me... "Hello Mr. Fleeentstone."

Yesterday's rain was a double whammy, spoiling both a morning bike ride and the ending of a very fun hash. Hrmph!

Monday Morning Poker TipDon't go "all in" when holding K-8 offsuit, even when the flop comes up K-6-K. Why not? Because the guy to your right might be holding K-J, and your ass will be booted from the tourney. Take my word for it, it can happen.

That tip is free of charge. Consider it my gift to you, in addition to the rain.

Random (Apple) Thoughts (Apple) About (Apple) SaturdayDecked out in my finest Old Navy American Flag t-shirt from 2003 I headed to Lenox Mall on Saturday. That's where we Beautiful People roll on the weekend, you know.

Eventhough a bit of a belly pooch is all the rage among us Beauts, I felt it necessary to get some exercise after eating All I Can Eat Chinese Buffet for lunch. I frequent the one ironically located next door to Jenny Craig on Sidney Marcus (btw- you can read how that skinny little bitch Robyn lost 29 pounds thanks to Jenny by following this link).

Because I am now an official Apple Switcher I headed to the rarified air of the Apple store where only the select few of us who are both handsomely gifted and weathly enough to buy Apple products mingle. Has somebody been subliminally dropping Apple's name everywhere? The Apple store was frantic as if they were giving things away (not like Apple at all)! And not to sound too catty, the people in there were definitely not the same crowd I see sipping on Mocha Affogatos at Starbucks. I'm just saying.

I think that I might have to wait for an apology and a private shopping invite before I return...

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - RIP Peter JenningsCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing PJ Harvey -- "A Perfect Day Elise"Website Of The Day - Lojack, not that I need it because the same car doesn't get stolen twice, right?Monday Morning Weigh In - 199 pounds (Moooooooo)

Friday, August 05, 2005

File Under: May Offend

Yes, I woke up on the wrong side of the couch this morning.

It's 9am on a Friday and I am ready to take off the gloves.

Eyecandy LandI may hate my new commute as well as the lack of ethnic restaurants in the land of white bread, but holy fucking shit the amount of hot women out here is incredible! Sure, I realize that they are probably SUV-driving as well as Republican-voting, and just like fine art (I may look, but I may not touch), but if I spend more time in this neighborhood I might not ever need Viagra. (ed note: not that I need Viagra now because walking around with a woody with no place to put it is completely sad)

I Might Be The Oldest, But I'll Outlive You All!!!The Atlanta MetroBloggers met up last night at Manuel's Tavern to celebrate the first birthday of Atlanta MetroBlogging. Out of a group of perhaps fifteen, including some "readers", I was the oldest (at forty?!).

Here's a message to you youngsters from American Legend Johnny Cash

I come from a genetic era where parents smoked and drank (in addition to other drug addictions), we never wore seat belts, bike helmets were for wimps, and toy guns looked like real guns, AND WE LIKED IT!

That culture weeded out the genetically inferior leaving only the strong willed and strong livered -- that would be me.

Yes Virginia, The Muppet Show Sucked!You can keep Fraggle Rock as well. In conjunction with the last paragraph, I am too old to give two shits about either of these.

Jim Henson could have, and should have, stopped with Sesame Street. Don't believe me? I've got two words for you then... Paul Williams.

Look for a "Very Special Anniversary" posting coming Monday.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - TV MA-V-L-SCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Wilco -- "Theologians"Website Of The Day - Uses Of The Word "Fuck".

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Does This Oversided Credit Card Statement Make My Ass Look Big?

The first of the spending spree credic statements came in yesterday. Oooh my baby's daddy is gonna have to fork over some major cash these next few months. It's funny how Visa / Mastercard / Amex can keep track of every purchase I make. Shit, I can't even manage that! Look out New York, this spending fool will be in the 2-1-2 next week. I've got plastic, and I know how to use it.

How Have I Made It To Forty?Not even Dr. Atkins would have approved of my diet last night. I skipped the George's Bar running and drinking for The Highlander standing and drinking. It was a Farewell Happy Hour for my friend Diane who is packing up and moving out the ATL.

I tried to buy food on the drive home, but everything that sounded delicious was closed by the time I headed home. So I was left with constructing a meal at the house. I can sum up the current contents of my refrigerator in just a few words -- beer, condiments. Oh and then there was that new package of Sargento Mozzarella cheese.

I doubt that I should admit this, but last night's dinner consisted of an entire package of sliced mozzarella cheese with "dark beer" mustard (actually not a bad combination) and a Coke.

If only an adult lived in my house...

Some Whine With My CheeseIs it any surprise that I had one of the worst nights of sleep in recent memory last night? Maybe it was dinner, maybe it was my inability to get the temperature just right, maybe my body had decided that sleeping on a couch every night is a bad idea.

The good thing about not being able to sleep it makes it impossible to oversleep. I was on the road by 6am this morning and my commute (read "drive") to work took only twenty-five minutes. Somehow I think that it will take considerably longer tonight.

And For My Next Trick...Tonight I will be destroying my appetite at Manuel's Tavern for the first birthday of Atlanta MetroBlogging (my "moonlighting gig" from this blog).

I'll be the one wearing the hipster Pumas with a hashing t-shirt, and beer glass attached firmly to hand.

Oooh! I've Been Selected To Receive A Free PS3What's really impressive is that the PS3 is not due out until sometime 2006! I hate these Free (iPod, XBOX, yadda yadda yadda) schemes. They are an annoyance, and anyone who perpetuates this shit is a sucka.

Whew, glad to get that off my chest.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - Thursday means that there is only one more day until Friiiiday!!!Current Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Sufjan Stevens -- "Come On! Feel The Illinoise!"Website Of The Day - Today I will be fueled by coffee. Find out fascinating information about coffee from the Coffee Geek. Check that out! They even have a podcast.

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Home Is Where The Heart Is

Not to mention the dirty laundry, stacks of unopened mail, and general disarray that has entered my life over the last year.

Just Say 'No'! But I Can'tLast night was supposed to be my first complete night at home in weeks. I have so much shit to accomplish around the house I couldn't possibly go out again, right? That was the plan until my friend Glenn called and offered the suggestion of eating dinner at the Universal Joint in Oakhurst. I love UJoint but don't go there often so the choice was easy -- "SURE!"

I returned home in time to do some of the needed cleaning and laundry, but not much else, other than tv watching that is...

Baby I Can Drive My CarThis new commute is teaching me a lot about myself.

I don't have the balls to ride my bike to this office

Marta will never been my only means of transportation to/from work, especially if I am going to sweat on the train.

I like my old routine (okay, I knew that already)

Pennies are useless, and yes Stacey, I still think we need to stop producing them. You can't use them for Marta, or the toll booth on 400, the will continue to collect in my car until I get frustrated enough to dump them.

Podcasts are great and they are even cooler in my car. But now I think that I need to buy an iPod that can hold my entire music collection.

Random Las Vegas ImageI am slowly getting pictures up to my Flickr account (My account name is InsideThePerimeter if you can imagine that). Here is one from the Las Vegas strip. I like it not only for the Welcome To Las Vegas bit and the name of the liquor store, but because the Starbucks sign had been removed. Take that MegaCorp!

IKEA, UKEA, I Still Haven't IKEA"When to go?" Should I really be going to IKEA when I don't want to spend any more money or acquire any more furniture? Do you see how I torture myself?

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - driving for a new todayCurrent Music - Adam Curry's Daily Source Code Podcast For 02-Aug-05Website Of The Day - IKEA inspired, Trump priced, but I still love Modern Contemporary design.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Up Early, How Long Can This Last?

Fourth Place Is The New Third PlaceA skeleton staff of Meet The Hashers went to the trivia sandbox known as Johnny's Pizza last night. Sadly, we didn't bring most of our brains with us. Yours truly missed three sports-related questions (well, really two sports-related questions and one NASCAR question). Somehow we managed to be in first place at halftime and also going into the final question. Unfortunately, the person who answered the final question (not me) was talked out of his original answer and we ended up in fourth place. However, the team that finished in third place failed to adhere to the Must Be Present To Win rules and we claimed the $10 consolation prize -- which is rougly one pitcher of satisifying Sweetwater 420 at Johnny's.

We Live In A Fucked Up World Part IIHave you ever paid attention to the advertisements on television for new drugs? Yesterday while listening to the Braves' game I heard a commercial for a drug called Ambien. Ambien is a drug intended to help one overcome insominia. However, read the safety information for the drug.

AMBIEN is the #1 prescribed sleep aid in America*

*IMS Health, National Prescription Audit Plus, MAT December 2004.

Important safety information: AMBIEN is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia. There is a low occurrence of side effects associated with the short-term use of AMBIEN. The most commonly observed side effects in controlled clinical trials were drowsiness (2%), dizziness (1%), and diarrhea (1%). When you first start taking AMBIEN, use caution in the morning when engaging in activities requiring complete alertness until you know how you will react to this medication. In most instances, memory problems can be avoided if you take AMBIEN only when you are able to get a full night's sleep (7 to 8 hours) before you need to be active again. As with any sleep medication, do not use alcohol while you are taking AMBIEN. Prescription sleep aids are often taken for 7 to 10 days — or longer as advised by your doctor. All people taking sleep medicines have some risk of becoming dependent on the medicine.

Yes, one of the "side effects" of this sleep aid is drowsiness! WTF?

Hell's Kitchen, Thankfully Over!Well, the grand finale of Hell's Kitchen was last night.

I am a sucker for many reality shows, and for some reason cannot stop watching them even when I know how boring they are (which says a lot about me).

Today I am hating the player, and perhaps even the game. I didn't care for the way that Michael played the game. I thought that his intentional omission of crab from the crab risotto while Ralph was in charge of the kitchen was completely Bush League. I guess it goes to show you that cheaters can prosper. To make matters worse it the way the final prize was changed from "owning your own restaurant" to "being an apprentice under Gordon Ramsay in London". Meh!

Tuesday == CD DayI'm not really excited about today's drops for CDs. Not being a fan of Faith Hill, I am going to have to pick Michael Penn,'s "Mr. Hollywood Jr, 1947" for my CD Pick Of The Day. Most people have heard of Michael Penn, but don't know why. His biggest hit to date is "No Myth" (known by most people as the "Romeo in black jeans" song).

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - eh, notsobadCurrent Music - MacCast Podcast from 21-Jul-05Website Of The Day - Behold the power of Cheese.

Monday, August 01, 2005

Inside The Perimeter meets Inside The Beltline (NC)

Raleigh North Carolina, or as I like to call it, "Atlanta Lite". I am sure that the residents of that area would go tell me to fuck myself if I said it to their face. Here is their opportunity to do it in print.

Dance Like No One Is WatchingI can only imagine that was the motto of the guy we saw dancing at a dive called Sadlacks Heroes near the campus of NC State. For the unitiated (as I was), Sadlacks is not a venue where dancing would normally ensue; it's a small sandwich joint with a small patio area and an eclectic group of patrons. To this guy's credit he came prepared to dance with short pants, knee pads, and a towel. Did I mention that his dancing resembled more of an epileptic seizure than "normal" dancing? At points during the night he managed to get himself into ideal limbo position, getting so low that the shoulder blade sections of his white t-shirt had turned black from scraping up against the concrete floor. I tried this position the next day and nearly snapped my forty-year-old legs in half before giving up.

My Sixth SenseLast week when playing poker I jokingly predicted the card being passed to me in a game of Anaconda. Lucky guess, I know, but it humored me.

On Saturday my friends and I brunched at a place in (or around) Raleigh called (I think) the Sunflower Cafe. It was noon, and the place was one of those order at the counter, wait for you name to be called, former-Hardees, type places. While standing in line I noticed that they had a Special of the Day sandwich that appealed to me, so I told my friend Lisa that I had figured out what I was going to order. About the same time an elderly couple standing behind me started talking about how good the Special sounded. I then whispered to Lisa how the people behind me were going to hate me because I was going to order the last of the Specials. (remember it was only noon) Low and behold as the girl passed my order to the guy making sandwiches, he told her "That's the last one." and she erased the Special from blackboard. I was glad that I didn't receive the cane whacking that I fully expected to receive.

Hold It Right There, Buddy!We lived in a fucked up world. Here is a picture of a set of stairs that are next to a LA Fitness near where I work.What are they going to do if I try to go up and down the stairs fifty times just for the hell of it?

The Next Grand ExperimentWith the exception of the New York trip, I am going to try and force myself to eat lunches in the office for the entire month of August. Here are the perceived benefits

Money Savings - On average I spend $6 a day on outside lunches. Certainly I can do better than this by eating in.

Weight Loss - I belong to the Clean Plate club, so regardless of the amount of food placed in front of me I shove it all into my pie hole. I think that I can convince myself to make smaller portions in the office.

Time Savings - My longer morning commute has caused me to get into work later than I used to. Later in means later out, therefore if I am eating in the office it shouldn't take me as much time to consume lunch.

Wish me luck, I will need it.

And now for some ideas stolen from LiveJournal...Current Mood - Marta'd outCurrent Music - Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 26 playing Kings of Leon -- "California Waiting"Website Of The Day - Help fix the world by reporting broken things to This Is Broken.Monday Morning Weigh In - 200 pounds